As the controversy surrounding the ingredients used in Tirupati laddus snowballed, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan urged for the constitution of a ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ to look into issues related to temples across the country.

The row erupted after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged on Thursday that the previous Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government had used animal fat instead of ghee to prepare the laddus ‘prasadam’ at Tirumala temple.

Later, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) presented a lab report from Gujarat-based NDDB CALF Ltd which confirmed the presence of “beef tallow,” “lard” (pig fat), and fish oil in the ghee samples used for making the laddus.

Also Read: Tirupati laddu controversy: TDP presents lab report alleging presence of beef tallow in sacred sweet

At a press conference, TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy displayed the purported lab report which showed that the ghee samples tested had been received by CALF (Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock & Food) on July 9, 2024, and the report was dated July 16, 2024.

The report’s findings have intensified the debate over the authenticity of the ingredients used in the preparation of the famous sweet.

The Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan took to X and said, “We are all deeply disturbed with the findings of animal fat (fish oil, pork fat and beef fat) mixed in Tirupathi Balaji Prasad. Many questions to be answered by the TTD board constituted by YCP Govt then.”

He added that the Andhra government is committed to taking stringent action.

Also Read: Chandrababu Naidu accuses Jagan regime of using animal fat in Tirupati laddoos, YSRCP rubbishes claim

“… The time has come to constitute a ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ at a National level to look into all the issues related to temples in entire Bharath,” the minister wrote.

He said that there’s also a need for a “debate” among policy makers, religious heads, the judiciary, the citizens and the media among others.

In his statement on Friday, Pawan Kalyan also said the findings also highlights issues surrounding “desecration of temples, its land issues” and related dharmic practices. “I think we all should come together to put an end to desecration of ‘Sanathana Dharma’ in any form,” he added.

(With inputs from ANI)